Attacks on migrants not the Gujarati way as it is counterproductive to ‘business’

We live in a civilised society and have to abide by some basic rules. One such rule is to respect the lives of our fellow humans. Mob vigilantism is not the mantra of Gujarat, it never has been.

The land of Mahatma Gandhi has always been at the forefront when it comes to embracing the many cultures of India.&nbsp | &nbspPhoto Credit:&nbspAP

The sharp business acumen of the Gujarati is stuff legends are made of. These entrepreneurs have made a mark not just across India but are looked at with respect throughout the world for their effective and practical approach towards life. This is why it comes as an even bigger surprise when reports from the state say that thousands of migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are under threat due to a Gujarat rape case where social media portrayed these migrants as the root cause of all evil.

Such is the situation that a Gujarat bandh has been ordered so that the security of thousands of these people is not compromised. This brings forth the menace of rumour mongering on social media that can have far reaching and adverse repercussions. The crime of the Gujarat girl rape was attributed to an entire section of the society and then, a witch-hunt ensued.

We live in a civilised society and have to abide by some basic rules. One such rule is to respect the lives of our fellow humans. Mob vigilantism is not the mantra of Gujarat, it never has been. The land of Mahatma Gandhi has always been at the forefront when it comes to embracing the many cultures of India.

The narrative seemed to change last week when scores of migrants were attacked to a point where a mini-exodus of these communities occurred. In the age of social media, it is very easy to target a group and paint them in a bad light. This is what seems to have happened in this case.

Taking a note of the situation, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said, “I spoke to Gujarat CM, he told me that no incident has taken place in last three days, Gujarat is a peaceful state. People should not pay heed to rumours. Gujarat government has taken effective steps.”

However, to a Gujarati person, this mass exodus means a loss of precious manpower and will adversely affect his business. The loss of thousands of manpower hours has a direct implication on the cost of manufacturing to distributing a product. For a community that takes utmost pride in stretching the dollar, it comes as a surprise that such behaviour was tolerated for even a second.

Counterproductive actions are not a mainstay of the hardworking Gujarati and surely, there are alarm bells ringing in many shops and factories across Gujarat about the incorrect portrayal of migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar as raping psychopaths. Let’s just hope that sanity prevails.

Attacks on migrants not the Gujarati way as it is counterproductive to ‘business’Description:We live in a civilised society and have to abide by some basic rules. One such rule is to respect the lives of our fellow humans. Mob vigilantism is not the mantra of Gujarat, it never has been.Times Now